How We Analyzed the Strike on the Iranian School | Visual Investigations

Summary
Malachy Browne of The New York Times Visual Investigations team presents an open-source visual forensic report analyzing a deadly strike on an elementary school in Minab, southern Iran, on February 28, 2026. Through ground video verification, historical satellite imagery, damage pattern analysis, and Pentagon briefing maps, the investigation examines the site’s civilian status and assesses responsibility for the strike.

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What is shown

• [00:00] Overhead aerial footage of excavators and workers digging approximately 100 graves in Minab, Iran, following the attack on February 28, 2026.
• [00:22] Malachy Browne introduces the investigation, detailing reports of the school strike that emerged when U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran commenced.
• [00:26] Eyewitness ground video showing dust, rubble, damaged classrooms with small desks, and civilians pulling victims from the collapsed building.
• [01:04] Geolocation analysis identifying the adjacent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) compound using street video showing IRGC signage.
• [01:21] Google Earth historical satellite timeline (2013–2024), establishing that while the building belonged to the IRGC base in 2013, it had been walled off into the independent Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school with distinct playgrounds and pastel walls by September 2016.
• [01:45] Planet Labs post-strike satellite analysis showing that over half the school was destroyed directly by a precision strike rather than collateral blast damage, alongside pinpoint strikes on neighboring IRGC facilities.
• [02:26] Official Department of Defense briefing clips from March 4, 2026, showing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responding to questions, followed by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine displaying the “Operation EPIC FURY” strike map confirming U.S. operations in southern Iran.

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Claims & numbers

• Deadliest incident: The presenter states the strike is “the single deadliest known attack in this war so far,” with around 100 graves dug, mostly for children.
• Site history: Satellite imagery establishes the building was part of the IRGC base in 2013, but separated into its own walled-off compound as Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school by September 2016.
• Strike mechanism: The presenter states the destruction required a direct precision munition rather than secondary/collateral blast damage from strikes on adjacent IRGC buildings.
• Pentagon statement: Secretary Pete Hegseth states that the U.S. “never target[s] civilian targets, but we’re taking a look and investigating that.”
• Operation geography: Gen. Dan Caine reported that during the first 100 hours of Operation EPIC FURY, Israel operated in northern Iran while U.S. forces operated in southern Iran (the location of Minab), leading the investigation to conclude the evidence points toward U.S. responsibility.

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Notable quotes

• [00:00] “This is the result of the single deadliest known attack in this war so far.” — Malachy Browne
• [01:53] “A precision strike is required to do that. It’s not secondary damage from a strike nearby.” — Malachy Browne
• [02:29] “We, of course, never target civilian targets, but we’re taking a look and investigating that.” — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

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Assessment

This is a standard investigative report from The New York Times Visual Investigations unit. It uses verified open-source satellite imagery, geolocated civilian recordings, and official Pentagon press briefing materials to support its analytical findings.

Described by gemini-3.8-flash on 2026-10-12 from the video’s audio and frames.